Car truck



March 27, 1934. J c LARSEN 1,952,378

CAR TRUCK Filed Sept. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Qwwnto'a 20 Jacob C. Larsen,

March 27, 1934. J. Q LARSEN 1,952,378

CAR TRUCK Filed Sept. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V gmmtoz Jacob C. Larsen,

March 27, 1934.

J. C. LARSEN CAR TRUCK Fi led Sept. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 gram r 501,

Jacob C; Larsen,

March 27, 1934-. Q LARSEN 1,952,378

CAR TRUCK Filed Sept. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwoentoa Jacob C. Larsen,

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 FATE OFFEE CAR TRUCK Jacob C. Larsen, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus,

Ohio

Application September 21, 1929, Serial No. 394,267

7 Claims.

The present invention pertains to car trucks of the quick wheel change type.

In such trucks it has heretofore been proposed to provide a construction which will permit the side frame to be removed as a unit Without materially disturbing the spring plank, springs and bolster in relation to each other, thereby reducing the cost of changing wheels as well as the period during which the equip- :ment is out of service. 7

The primary purpose of the present invention is to improve this type of truck, and such improvement is brought about principally by a novel design of combined spring cap and column -guide casting.

Afifurther object is to provide a spring cap for such a truck, which will not only insure a uniformly distributed load over the upper surface of the individual springs, but will in addigqtion, form column guides to space the outer lugs of the bolster from the columns. I

Another object is to provide a combined spring cap and column guide casting which may be readily interlocked with the bolster. 5; With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appearas the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, 7

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a truck of the quick wheel change type, and. showing one form of my invention incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the'line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one form of my combined spring cap' and column guide casting.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing 0 a spring cap structure designed to cover only two of the springs instead of all of the springs, as in the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inelusive. Fig. '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 7'7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the combined spring cap and guide casting, of the type used with the structure shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of said casting.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of another modification.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the modified form of casting, and illustrating the means employed to interlock the same with a portion of a bolster, which is shown in vertical section.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 12 designates a car truck side frame having integral journal boxes 13 for the axles 14 of the wheels 15. As is usual in car trucks of the quick wheel change type, the side frame includes columns 16, which, with the top and bottom members of the side frame, define a bolster opening 17, into which the spring blank 18 extends. This plank supports a spring seat 19 on which the springs 20 are mounted.

In accordance with my invention, a metal casting 21 is employed to form a spring cap to insure a uniformly distributed load over the upper surface of the individual springs, and to provide column guides. This casting includes a plate 22 that rests on the upper ends of. the springs, and has a pair of upwardly extending posts 23 which form the column guides.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the bolster 24 is provided with inner lugs 25 which abut against the inner sides of the column 16, and the bolster also has outer lugs 26 which are adapted to slide through horizontal grooves 27 at the upper ends of the columns when the side frame is being placed on or removed from the bolster. In my invention, the posts 23 of my improved casting fit in the spaces between the outer sides of the columns and the lugs 26, and they function as guides as the bolster vibrates upwardly and downwardly.

I prefer to interlock my casting with the bolster, and for this purpose, the casting is provided with raised portions 28 which fit into corresponding recesses in the under side of the bolster.

With such a construction, it will be appreciated that when the bolster is raised to bring the outer lugs 26 into horizontal alignment with the grooves 27, that the side frame may be readily detached from the bolster, providing at this time my improved casting 21 is lowered sufficiently so that the posts 23 will not obstruct the movement of the lugs 26. On the other hand, during the ordinary rising and falling of the bolster, the posts 23 will prevent the lugs 26 from moving into the grooves 27.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the casting 30 which forms a spring cap and column guides, overlies only two of the springs 31, instead of all of the springs; and the bolster 32 has a recess 33 in its under side to receive the plate portion of the cap. In this construction, the under side of the casting is in alignment with the under surface 34 of the bolster, and the surface 34 rests on a pair of the springs, while the casting 30 is mounted on the other pair of springs. Like in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the casting has raised portions 35 which engage or interfit with corresponding recess 36 in the under side of the bolster for the purpose of interlocking the casting with the bolster. This form of interlock allows detachment by simply moving the parts properly relatively to each other.

Another form of interlock is shown in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. In this modification, the plate portion of the casting 40 is provided at its central portion with an upstanding circular boss 41, designed to be inserted in a circular aperture 42 in the bottom portion 43 of the bolster.

In all forms of the invention, the casting has a dual function; first, it acts as a spring cap, and second, it functions as column guides and spaces the outer lugs of the bolster irom'the outer surfaces of the columns ofthe side frame.

Fromthe foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and I am aware that various changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a car truck, a side frame having spaced coluin'nsand a bolster opening, said columns having horizontal grooves, a holster having inner and outer lugs, the outer lugs adapted to pass through said grooves, springs, a spring cap resting on the springs, the bolster resting on the spring cap, and guide members rigidly united with the spring cap and extending between the outer lugs of the bolster and the columns of the side frame.

2. In a car truck, a side frame having columns and a bolster opening, a spring plank extending into the bolster opening and resting on the side frame, springs supported by the plank, a spring cap mounted on the springs and provided with upstanding posts, and a bolster resting on the spring cap and provided with outwardly xtending lugs, said posts being arranged between the lugs and said columns, said columns having horizontal grooves for the passage of said lugs.

3. In a car truck, a side frame having columns and a bolster opening, a spring plank extending into the bolster opening and resting on the side frame, springs supported by the plank, a spring cap mounted on the springs and provided with upstanding posts, an end of a bolster resting on the spring cap and provided with outwardly extending lugs of less depth than the bolster end, said posts being arranged between the lugs and said columns, and means interlocking the spring cap to the bolster and permitting disengagement of one from the other by a vertical movement of one relatively to the other and while the springs are in position.

4. In a car truck of the quick-wheel-change type, a side frame having columns and a bolster openinga spring plank extending into the bolster opening and resting on the side frame, springs supported by the plank, a spring cap mounted on the springs and provided at its outer end only with upstanding guide posts, said spring cap being insertable into the opening at the medial portion of the columns while the springs are in position, and a bolster resting on the spring cap and provided with projecting outer lugs, said posts being arranged between the lugs and said column.

5. In a car truck, a side frame having spaced columns provided with opposed grooves, a combined spring cap and column guide positioned between said columns, a bolster having an end extending outwardly between said columns and resting on said spring cap, said bolster end havingouter projecting lugs adapted to pass through said grooves when the side frame is being attached to or detached from the bolster end, said spring cap and column guide comprising a plate having spaced upstanding posts rigidly united therewith and arranged at its outer corners, said lugs being of less height than the posts and the latter being positioned between the lugs and said columns.

6. In a car truck, a side frame having spaced columns and a bolster opening, said columns having horizontal grooves, a bolster having inner lugs to limit the outward movement of the bolster relatively to said columns and other lugs-adapted to pass through said grooves, a spring plank extending into the bolster opening and resting on the side frame, springs resting on the spring plank, a'spring cap resting on the springs-the bolster resting on. the spring cap, and guide members rigidly united with thespring cap, interlocked with the bolster and bearing against the columns of the side frame for limiting inward movement or" the bolster relatively'to said side frame.

7. In a'car truck, a side frame having spaced columns and a bolster opening, a spring .rplank extending into the opening and resting on-the side frame, springs supported by said plank, a spring cap resting on the springs, a bolster resting on the spring cap and having projecting inner and outer lugs, the inner lugs limiting the outward movement of the bolster relatively to-the columns, and guide members rigidly united with the spring cap and extending between the outer lugs of the bolster and said columns, said columns having horizontal grooves to permit the passage of the outer lugs.

JACOB C. LARSEN. 

